Modular platform systems are typically used in communication networks where reliability is increased and cost reduced by the use of interoperable pieces. Such interoperable pieces may include modular platform shelves or chassises. These modular platform shelves include one or more backplanes that receive and couple to other interoperable pieces such as circuit boards or “boards”. These boards may include, but are not limited to blades, carrier boards, processing boards, interconnects, etc. Other interoperable pieces that a backplane may receive and couple to include components such as fans, power equipment modules (PEM), field replaceable units (FRUs), alarm boards, etc.
Backplanes within a modular platform system may receive and couple boards via one or more data transport and power connectors. Typically, the one or more data transport connectors include communication links to interconnect boards received and coupled to the backplane. These communication links may also couple interconnected boards to components resident on a given board (e.g, mezzanine cards, processing elements, chipsets, media devices, etc.). Data and/or instructions are forwarded on these communication links using various different communication protocols. Typically a data transport interface is used to serve as a bridge between the communication links that use different communication protocols.